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Tuesday, April 9, 2013

Lease Options for Dog Lovers

One of the most common things we hear from leasing clients is, “but I have a dog, is that going to be an issue?” Generally speaking, no, dogs are not an issue. Most times landlords are willing to work with you and your furry member of the family. We recently helped place a renter with a lab and a hound, both over 50 lbs. Austin is after all one of the most dog friendly cities in the US. Read full article here.

Things to consider when searching for your new pet friendly home:

Who are you looking for?

Based on certain criteria of your pet, breed, weight, behavior, and history (have they every been aggressive or bitten someone?) think about what your options would be in the category of housing you prefer, whether it’s house, condo, duplex, or apartment.

“I have a 10 lb. 5 year old poodle”, you’re going to be fine pretty much wherever you want to rent that is pet friendly.

“I have a 60 lb. 3 year old coon hound”, which was the situation for our Operations Manager Sarah when moving to the Austin area. “I really didn’t have that much trouble finding a place that would allow my little man to co-inhabit with me. I had rented an apartment, a duplex, and a house in Austin before buying. In one instance the owner had a weight restriction, but I explained how well trained and well mannered my pup was and they were ok with it when accompanied with a good rental history.” Basically you’re going to narrow down your field, but you’ve still got quite a few options.

“I’ve got a 5 year pit bull mix”, here’s where things get tricky. You may find a landlord that is willing to work with you, and your easiest/quickest avenue with a breed that falls into the category of “aggressive” may be to find an apartment complex that does not restrict for this until you’re ready to buy. We’ve listed a few that we were able to find here.

Price range is going to be one of the most important when renting or buying. One thing to keep in mind when looking for you and your furry companion is the added expense of pet fees, pet deposits, and/ or pet rent. Basically in a hot rental market (like our current one) landlords can tack on additional fees to the tune of whatever amount they see fit. In most situations added deposits are refundable with the rest of your deposit at the end of the lease pending damages sustained by the animal. Still, you need to be financially prepared for these going in as they can vary and may affect the amount you’re able to afford monthly.

What does your rental history look like and are you prepared?

Your pet may not be the reason you don’t get that lease on that house you wanted. We mentioned our Operation Manager’s experience earlier in the article with a landlord making an exception for her, and she noted that it was accompanied by a good rental history. This is a big selling point for landlords. Your pet’s behavior may be impeccable, but if your history suggests that yours isn’t and they have multiple applications coming in you could easily be overlooked. Please note this doesn’t knock you out of the race. This does mean an open and up front application is better than the alternative. Our process involves our agents putting together a full package on you to give a leasing agent. This ups your chances of being top on the list.

Be ready to sign today!

We’ve already mentioned the rental market is hot right now. Our agents are seeing multiple offers on properties all the time. We’re also seeing renters that want to look and think about it. We always suggest you know what you want and be ready to apply for it today! Rentals are coming on the market for a matter of days at this point. You could fall in love today and tomorrow it’s gone.

We know looking for a new place, while exciting, can become overwhelming. Our agents have access to the MLS, can help you find exactly what you’re looking for, and can gather an application package that makes you and your four legged friend look like the perfect renters. Call today to make an appointment, 512-297-3442, or start looking online now! Browse current available leases in the Austin area now.